Mathematics

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Subject: Mathematics


Technology:34837graph-screen.gif

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Databases
    • EbscoHost
    • World Book Web

Curriculum standard(s):

Mathematics Standards (Grade 8)


Patterns, Functions and Algebra Standard
7. Use symbolic algebra (equations and inequalities), graphs and tables to represent situations and solve problems.

Data Analysis and Probability Standard
1. Use, create and interpret scatterplots and other types of graphs as appropriate.

Description:

  • Students research elements of Native American life such as births, deaths, types of foods, jobs, housing, etc. Using the research and Microsoft Excel, students create appropriate graphs to represent the information in their research (for example, bar graphs for births in numbers of years, pie charts for types of foods eaten or produced, etc.). The activity could also be differentiated by giving some students needing more guidance the numeric values while asking other students to complete their own research and apply their own numeric values.

Supporting Research:

  • "When teachers provide students with every opportunity to visually understand a mathematical concept, process, definition, or notation, they allow them to construct and manipulate relevant and useful images in their minds. Visual understanding has a dynamic character that they do not easily develop with alphanumeric symbols alone despite the advantage of seeing and verbally manipulating the explicit symbolic forms."
  • Rivera, F. (2010). "There Is More to Mathematics Than Symbols." Mathematics Teaching. 218. Retrieved fromhttp://www.atm.org.uk/journal/archive/mt218.html

Tried & True or New & Innovative:

  • This technology falls into the Tried & True category because students have been exposed to both Excel and the databases for several years. Additionally, the technologies have been around for a considerable amount of time in relation to other technologies. The significance, though, is that, even after being exposed to Excel, many students are unfamiliar with the types of graphs they are able to create (as well as how to create the graphs)